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Dr. C.J. Huff is a recognized leader in school safety, crisis management, and community resilience. With extensive experience as a superintendent, he guided the Joplin, Missouri, school district through the aftermath of the devastating 2011 tornado, demonstrating exceptional leadership in recovery and rebuilding. Dr. Huff’s approach to school safety emphasizes the importance of strong community partnerships, proactive preparedness, and fostering a culture of resilience. As a speaker, he offers practical insights into disaster response, recovery strategies, and creating supportive environments that prioritize the well-being of students. His expertise makes him an invaluable resource for schools and organizations seeking to strengthen their safety protocols and community engagement efforts.
WHY
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Dr. Huff
FOR YOUR EVENT?
“The clear and concise articulation of real-world leadership in a time of terrible crisis. Dr. Huff pulled off some tremendous successes with his team, but there was a personal and professional cost at times. I appreciated his willingness to not only share those successes (and articulate the need to briefly acknowledge them regularly), but to also acknowledge the price he paid to achieve them. He also carved out a path to avoid many of those personal costs, or at least address them moving forward in a crisis.”
—Brett Garland, Director, South Dakota State School Safety Program
WHO
Books
Dr. Huff
?
Dr. Huff’s expertise and compassion make him a sought-after speaker for a wide range of organizations. He is especially recognized for his leadership in response and recovery following natural disasters, guiding communities through challenges with resilience and strength.
Organizations he has worked with include:
Mountain State Educational Services Cooperative
Missouri State Teachers Association, Southwest Region
South Dakota State School Safety Program
Pierce County Emergency Management
Region 18 ESC
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Dr. Huff
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SPEAKER
Topics Include
Culture, Climate & Community
Leadership, Law & Policy
Operations & Emergency Management
Leader-care/Self-care
Recovery & Resilience After Tragedy
Turning Pain into Purpose
Lessons Learned from Tragedy
Signature
PRESENTATIONS
Click on the titles to learn more about each signature presentation and fill out the form below to book for your next event.
Leading in Crisis: The Joplin Story
In this keynote, Dr. C.J. Huff provides a boots-on-the-ground CEO perspective on the challenges of leading a large organization through the hours, days, weeks, months, and years following an unthinkable tragedy. With a “people-first” approach, C.J. provides leaders with a practical approach to engage internal and external stakeholders, communicate vision, and chart a path forward that inspires and encourages others to follow. Attendees frequently comment on his humility and the common-sense actions leaders can take to stabilize an organization during incredibly challenging times.
If I Had a Dime
If I had a dime for every time I said, ‘You gotta take care of yourself before you can take care of others!’ I would have been able to rebuild our entire community after our disaster.” A central part of the presentation highlights the importance of "Career Sustaining Behaviors" (Self-Care) and the critical role educators play in the long-term recovery of students and their peers by becoming a model of self-care for others to follow. His "people first" message offers opportunities for self-reflection, practical strategies to improve staff morale and retention, tips on communication strategies, and thoughtful lessons learned the hard way balanced with empathy, humor, and inspiration to provide educators the clarity needed to overcome adversity.
Relationships Matter
In this session, Dr. Huff provides participants with a clear-eyed understanding of the importance of pre-need relationships to “carry the day” when crisis strikes. The relationships with internal and external stakeholders can make or break the ability of an organization to respond decisively to unexpected events that distract an organization from its noble purpose. Dr. Huff provides communication and leadership strategies to keep your organization moving forward...no matter what.
Testimonials
After all, a lot of you could've spent your senior year scattered throughout different schools, far from home. But Dr. Huff asked everyone to pitch in so that school started on time, right here in Joplin. He understood the power of this community and the power of place.
—President Barack Obama
Speaker
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. C.J Huff is an educator with over 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher, building principal, and superintendent of schools. Originally a farmer from McCune, KS, Dr. Huff earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Pittsburg State University, his Master's and Specialist degree in Education from Missouri State University, and his Doctorate in Education with a focus in Educational Leadership from the University of Arkansas in 2003.
On May 22, 2011, at 5:41 PM, the costliest tornado in US history hit Joplin, Missouri. This EF-5 tornado with winds in excess of 200 mph devastated the community, killing 161 community members, including 7 students and a staff member, in just 32 minutes. As a school system, 10 of the 19 schools in his district were damaged or destroyed. Dr. Huff was responsible for successfully leading his district of 1,100 employees and 7,700 students through the community response and recovery effort that followed. His declaration that "We will start school on time" is credited with being a key factor that drew the community of Joplin together just days after the tornado and provided a positive light for the country to rally around in the midst of such tragedy and destruction. As a result of his leadership, Dr. Huff's resolve was recognized by leaders across the nation.
Retiring from Joplin Schools in 2015, Dr. Huff serves as a subject matter expert to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education, supporting response and recovery efforts following some of the nation's most devastating natural disasters in recent history. This includes extensive response and recovery support following Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Michael, California wildfires (Paradise, CA), and the 2023 tornadoes in both Arkansas and Mississippi.